D.S. Senanayake hold late Zahira burst
D.S. Senanayake and Zahira scored 11 tries in total at Maradana - Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
A late burst by Zahira College could not prevent D.S. Senanayake College from claiming a close 41-35 win in a Plate Segment match of the Dialog Schools Rugby League played at Maradana yesterday. Both teams collectively braced 11 tries, as D.S. Senanayake College claimed the R.I.T. Alles Memorial Challenge Trophy in the fifth encounter played between the two schools.
The Dons, dominating the first half entirely, scored from six tries, four conversions and a penalty, also leading the halftime by 22-7, while Zahira made a late run and ended up with a tally of five converted tries. If not for the two tries perfectly intercepted by D.S. Senanayake backs, Zahira would have found themselves in a different position, but their failure to read their opponents eventually turned out to be a costly mistake.
The visitors crossed the line thrice during first half, in addition to putting over the solitary penalty in the 14th minute by fullback Buddhitha Rusiru. Winger Chamith Samarasinghe braced the opening try in the third minute for D.S. Senanayake, backed by two more tries from centre Thatheera Perera, who made an interception in the 18th minute and their third by skipper and hooker Thimantha Bogahawatte in the 35th minute. Rusiru succeeded twice in his three attempts to add extra points as D.S. Senanayake led 22-7 at halftime. Zahira’s only try in the first half came from a forward move, which lock Aathif Azmil made a finishing touch, to give flyhalf Basith Feroze an easy conversion.
Flanker Iyaad Yusuf gave hope for a possible Zahira comeback with a try soon after the resumption, as Feroze, continued his form to finish a perfect five-out-of-five attempt, as the home team trailed by 14-22. Prop Praveen Lakmal added a try in the 46th minute for the visitors, who added another two minutes later from fullback Risuri. Centre Perera, who took over the kicking duties, put over the second try for DSS, who expanded the lead by 34-14.
Scrumhalf Afham Abdeen made a breakthrough in the 59th minute, adding Zahira’s third converted try, and narrow the gap by 21-34. A misread offload, that resulted an intercepted try in the 61st minute from winger Samarasinghe, who scored his second and DSS’s sixth try, which was converted by Perera to see them reach a 41-21 lead.
But a late burst from Zahira, helped them add two more converted tries as they closed in to scare the visitors, who lost two of their players for yellow cards in the dying stage of the game. Prop Zain Hassan braced a try in the 64th minute, as Iyaad Yusuf touched down for the second time just before the long whistle to see Zahira finishing agonizingly close, yet in the losing side by six points.